July of decades and centuries past comes to life
July 25th. In 1949, Valery Zhuk — a Belarusian art critic and Doctor of Arts — was born in the village of Povstyn (Slutsk District).
July 26th. In 1918, Ivan Gramovich — a writer, translator and Honoured Figure of Culture of Belarus — was born in the village of Zakruzhka, of the Minsk District.
July 27th. In 1943, an architect and theatrical artist — Dmitry Mokhov — was born. He designed restoration projects for Nesvizh’s Slutsk gates and other objects.
July 28th. In 1919, USSR Hero Ivan Sambuk was born in the village of Rog (Mozyr District). The howitzer — which he commanded — is now exhibited at the Belarusian State Great Patriotic War History Museum.
July 29th. In 1789, a Belarusian astronomer, mathematician and enlightener — Vincent Karchevsky — was born. He wrote scientific works on astronomy, while authoring textbooks on astronomy and mathematics.
July 30th. In 1924, USSR Hero Ivan Gurov was born. He took part in liberating Belarus from fascists during the Great Patriotic War.
July 31st. In 1802, a Belarusian geologist and mineralogist — Ignat Domeiko — was born. He devoted most of his life to the Chilean Republic. Having signed a six year contract, the scientist could hardly imagine that he would stay in the country for 46 years. Chile became his second homeland as a result.
July 29th. In 1965, a planetarium opened in the Central Children’s Gorky Park (Minsk).
July 25th. In 1853, the 1st professional fire-fighting brigade was established in Minsk — featuring a fire captain, his two deputies and forty eight firemen.
July 25th. In 1923, a children’s sanatorium to treat tuberculosis (aimed to accommodate 25 boys and girls) solemnly opened in Novinki, near Minsk.
July 25th. In 1993, a monument to Frantsisk Skorina — sculptured by V. Yanushkevich — was unveiled in Lida.
July 26th. In 1928, the first issue of the Belaruski Batrak was published; since May 1930, it was known as Selskagaspadarchy Rabochy Belarusi (Belarus’ Agricultural Worker) and was out until March 31st, 1933.
July 26th. In 1993, the National Bank of Belarus made a decision to take out of circulation Soviet money; new money was introduced then.
July 28th. In 1925, construction of Minsk’s city drainage system began.
July 28th. In 1942, a four-day massacre began — become the largest of its kind in the history of Minsk’s ghetto. 18,000 prisoners were killed as a result.
July 28th. In 1945, the reconstruction of the Chemical-Pharmaceutical Plant’s first block finished.
July 28th. In 2003, monuments to two famous Russian poets — Anna Akhmatova and Nikolay Gumilev — and their son Lev Gumilev (a world known ethnologist) were sent to Tver; they were cast in Minsk within two weeks.
July 29th. In 1926, Minsk split into Oktyabrksy, Lyakhovsky and Gorodskoy districts.
July 29th. In 1927, the first issue of the Rabochy (Worker) newspaper was out — known as Sovetskaya Belorussiya (Soviet Belarus) since October 2nd, 1937.
July 29th. In 1934, the Minsk District was established.
July 29th. In 1939, a decision was made to rename Mensk into Minsk.
July 29th. In 1961, the town of Shatilki (Gomel Region) was re-organised into Svetlogorsk.
July 29th. In 1977, the Belarusian Scientific-Research Institute of Cardiology (at the BSSR Health Ministry) was established.
July 30th. In 1933, a famous operatic singer (soprano) — Larisa Aleksandrovskaya — made her debut on stage of the BSSR State Opera and Ballet Theatre.
July 30th. In 2003, the Minsk City Executive Committee made a decision to reopen the House of Cinema in the capital.
July 30th. In 2003, Minsk’s territory enlarged as some land lots along the ring road were annexed. Among them were lands of individuals and companies, as well as spare lands and territories of public use (covering over 3,800 hectares).
July 31st. In 1703, T. Vankovich set up Minsk’s Roman Catholic Church and Carmelites’ Monastery. The buildings were constructed in 1763.
July 31st. In 1856, Minsk was inhabited by 24,000 citizens and had 1,422 houses.
July 31st. In 1925, Belarusian scientists began studies of burial mounds near Minsk. Mr. Serebrovsky investigated a mound of Dregovichi near the village of Druzhba, while Mr. Serbov focused on mounds near the village of Petrovshchina.
